[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/phpbb/session.php on line 580: sizeof(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/phpbb/session.php on line 636: sizeof(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4511: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3257)[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4511: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3257)[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/includes/functions.php on line 4511: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at [ROOT]/includes/functions.php:3257)Are SO Staff Unknowingly Taking Mind-altering Drugs? - Operation Clambake Message Board

I am shocked by the number of ex-Scientologists who were diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). I am also humbled by their bravery -- it takes enormous amount of courage to discuss their problems and treatments openly. Their stories are the strongest warnings to the individuals who are contemplating joining the Church of Scientology. I was especially touched by the stories of ex-Scientologists who suffer from amnesia as the result of their exposure to the cult.

Amnesia is a symptom that is not usually associated with PTSD. While the PTSD patients may have memory problems (lack of focus), the amnesia is not listed as a PTSD symptom.

In the past 4 days I had researched plenty of Internet data; none of the websites that I visited lists amnesia among PTSD symptoms. Check, for example, this website run by the Mayo clinic:

“Drug-induced amnesia is amnesia caused by drugs. Amnesia may be therapeutic for treatment of psychological trauma or for medical procedures, or it may be a side-effect of a drug, such as alcohol or rohypnol, commonly known as the date rape drug“.
Wikipedia.

Coincidentally, a person could have PTSD and amnesia simultaneously. But when a group of individuals, as in the case of ex-Scientologists, exhibit both illnesses together, this is not a coincidence but a deliberate attempt on someone’s part to cause amnesia in these people.

What would the CoS leaders gain by inflicting amnesia on Sea Org members?

1. Although the amnesia recipients do not forget their relatives completely, they forget many incidents of joint activities that formed emotional bond between them and their loved ones.
The weakening of the emotional bond makes the policy of family separation more effective.

2. Sea Org amnesia victims realize that something is wrong with them; they hope that the help will become in the form of Dianetics auditing and OT trips, which makes them dependent on the church.

3. Even if the amnesia victims leave the Church and decide later to sue it, their testimonies are often considered unreliable because of the memory gaps.

I stayed in Sea Org for 6 months only, which was not enough to develop amnesia. But in some instances I noticed that the Sea Org food tasted funny. At that time I thought that the food was not fresh, but now I am not so sure.

Perhaps, some former Sea Org members could confirm that the SO food was suspicious.

“This OT shit is driving me insane. On a positive side, I laugh a lot these days because I’m at a funny farm.”
L. Ron Hubbard

It wouldn't be practical to ruin the memories of all the staff eating the Sea Org food. I think it's stress and psychological abuse:
Sec checks pressure the person to think up crimes, even imaginary ones, just to end the session
Auditing sessions encourage fantasy over reality, like how a "suppressive person" relative was evil.
Sleep deprivation can create dreamlike states during working hours, making memory unreliable.

It's possible a single person was given some strange medicine when Sea Org execs tought the person was about to quit. But it's unprovable unless someone confesses, or someone leaves Sea Org feeling weird after the last meal, and gets a medical test for poisoning.

I did not say that I am entirely sure that CoS are drugging the SO staff, that is why I used the question mark in the thread title. I started this thread because certain things do not make sense to me.

1. I said on many occasions that Dianetics auditing is very dangerous because it is a form of hypnosis designed to erase the engrams that do not exist. I also said that Dianetics auditing causes improper recall of the past lives with the episodes that cannot be true (see a completely idiotic Hubbard book, Have You Lived Before?).

However, there is no evidence showing that Dianetics auditing causes amnesia. Nevertheless, if someone with amnesia steps forward and says that he had received plenty of auditing but have never been a Sea Org member, I will accept the fact that Dianetics auditing causes amnesia.

2. There were suggestions (ESMB) that sleep deprivation may cause amnesia; I did not discount that possibility, either. However, all data about amnesia that I have collected shows that the amnesia is not caused by sleep deprivation. See, for example, these articles on sleep deprivation symptoms:

I don't think it's amnesia so much as coached alteration of memory. If you are suddenly taught Person A was an SP, and you believe it, your memory of Person A becomes tainted so that kindness becomes "sneakily buttering you up," or memories of kindness could even be unconsciously suppressed. Memories of Person A speaking out against unfairness becomes "being deranged."
It's amazing how much people forget or remember "wrong" even under the best conditions. It's a classic sitcom plot that the two lovers have quite different stories of how they met.

Don Carlo wrote:I don't think it's amnesia so much as coached alteration of memory. If you are suddenly taught Person A was an SP, and you believe it, your memory of Person A becomes tainted so that kindness becomes "sneakily buttering you up," or memories of kindness could even be unconsciously suppressed. Memories of Person A speaking out against unfairness becomes "being deranged."
It's amazing how much people forget or remember "wrong" even under the best conditions. It's a classic sitcom plot that the two lovers have quite different stories of how they met.

I suppose, in some cases it could be the coached alteration of memory. But the people who posted their stories at ESMB say that they were diagnosed with amnesia. Actually, one of them wrote that the lack of iron in his diet was causing amnesia. He is doing much better now. He did not specify though whether it was the SO food that did not have enough iron or the food that he was taking after he left SO.

“This OT shit is driving me insane. On a positive side, I laugh a lot these days because I’m at a funny farm.”
L. Ron Hubbard

Sometimes people use the probability theory to express their feeling about a statement although they do not have any data to back it up.

I would say that there is only 20% chance that CoS drug SO members.

But let’s assume for a moment that the SO staff are unknowingly taking drugs. Then I have achieved something by starting this thread -- now OSA know that someone could test the SO food in search of illegal drugs, so they might advice RTF or whoever is in charge to stop this practice.

Currently I live in NYC, but I am planning to move to LA; everything depends on my employers’ willingness to open a California branch. I could hire a chemical lab to test the SO food.

“This OT shit is driving me insane. On a positive side, I laugh a lot these days because I’m at a funny farm.”
L. Ron Hubbard

Because the food is so miserable I'll bet that Vitamin B12 deficiency is causing neuropsych problems for the Sea Org inmates. It weakens the mind and the body and the will. Just one more thing to add to the mix.

Scientology raves on about ill treatment of psych patients as if we were still back in the Fifties but the ironic thing is they are dishing out the same treatment today to those in the RPF.

“Disorders of memory constitute one of the diagnostic categories for PTSD in the form of reexperiencing. As noted above, this may be in the form of hypermnesia, amnesia or distortion of memory“.

I’m not sure what this means because the re-experiencing is not the amnesia; it would be correct to say that the amnesia is an absence of re-experiencing. I did not like the article because it uses the old classification which includes “hysteria”, while this diagnosis is no longer in use.

I saw plenty of articles on PTSD; none of them describes amnesia as an PTSD symptom.

“Trauma-based memory phenomena often involve declarative (explicit, semantic) memory in the form of variably accurate verbal and imaginal recall of the traumatic event“.

I agree with the above statement that also comes from the article.

The rest of the article is a collection of various PTSD theories and experimental studies involving the animals; amnesia is not mentioned in these materials.

“This OT shit is driving me insane. On a positive side, I laugh a lot these days because I’m at a funny farm.”
L. Ron Hubbard

Here is a thought, anyone fresh out of a Co$ prison camp like that Gold Base, get hair samples for drug testing. You can use the FBI to do the analysis later. The reason to use the FBI, one this is not a regular drug test looking for a handful of known substances. You need different kinds of testing done by a specialist. And it would not hurt the FBI's case if this was found to be true.

doodledoo wrote:Here is a thought, anyone fresh out of a Co$ prison camp like that Gold Base, get hair samples for drug testing. You can use the FBI to do the analysis later. The reason to use the FBI, one this is not a regular drug test looking for a handful of known substances. You need different kinds of testing done by a specialist. And it would not hurt the FBI's case if this was found to be true.

Very good idea!!

“This OT shit is driving me insane. On a positive side, I laugh a lot these days because I’m at a funny farm.”
L. Ron Hubbard

When people lose their ability to memorize data they have amnesia. Amnesia also refers to an inability to recall information that is stored in memory. In simple terms, amnesia is the loss of memory. The causes of amnesia may be organic or functional.

Organic causes may include brain damage through injury, or the use of specific drugs - usually sedative drugs. Amnesia may be one of the symptoms of some degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Functional causes are psychological factors, such as defense mechanisms.

I am recovering from a life-threatening hospitalization. I have no memory of anything from Jan 2013 to April 2013. My psychologists believe that my short-term memory deficit is caused by the stress of my condition when my brain went into defensive shutdown. One of my therapists related my condition to the amnesia of North Korean prisoners of war, who were subjected to extreme deprivations and cruelties.

From the link:

Causes of functional or psychogenic amnesia

Also known as dissociative amnesia. This is caused by an emotional shock, such as:
Being the victim of a violent crime.
Sexual abuse.
Child abuse.
Being involved in combat (soldiers).
Being involved in a natural disaster.
Being present during a terrorist act.The list is endless - basically, any intolerable life situation which causes severe psychological stress and internal conflict.

When people lose their ability to memorize data they have amnesia. Amnesia also refers to an inability to recall information that is stored in memory. In simple terms, amnesia is the loss of memory. The causes of amnesia may be organic or functional.

Organic causes may include brain damage through injury, or the use of specific drugs - usually sedative drugs. Amnesia may be one of the symptoms of some degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Functional causes are psychological factors, such as defense mechanisms.

I am recovering from a life-threatening hospitalization. I have no memory of anything from Jan 2013 to April 2013. My psychologists believe that my short-term memory deficit is caused by the stress of my condition when my brain went into defensive shutdown. One of my therapists related my condition to the amnesia of North Korean prisoners of war, who were subjected to extreme deprivations and cruelties.

From the link:

Causes of functional or psychogenic amnesia

Also known as dissociative amnesia. This is caused by an emotional shock, such as:
Being the victim of a violent crime.
Sexual abuse.
Child abuse.
Being involved in combat (soldiers).
Being involved in a natural disaster.
Being present during a terrorist act.The list is endless - basically, any intolerable life situation which causes severe psychological stress and internal conflict.

It was a short-term amnesia, thanks God. The ex-Scientologists whose stories I read are suffering from a long-term memory loss; for example, one of them doesn't recall a relation with one of her former boyfriends, in fact, she didn't even recognize him when they met Their lives were stressful during their stay in Sea Org, but I don't think the stress was strong enough to make them forget sizeable chunks of their lives. The way I see it, they were either under influence of the drugs or received post-hypnotic sugestions during the auditing sessions (I'm more inclined to believe that the latter is true).

“This OT shit is driving me insane. On a positive side, I laugh a lot these days because I’m at a funny farm.”
L. Ron Hubbard

It was a short-term amnesia, thanks God. The ex-Scientologists whose stories I read are suffering from a long-term memory loss; for example, one of them doesn't recall a relation with one of her former boyfriends, in fact, she didn't even recognize him when they met Their lives were stressful during their stay in Sea Org, but I don't think the stress was strong enough to make them forget sizable chunks of their lives. The way I see it, they were either under influence of the drugs or received post-hypnotic suggestions during the auditing sessions (I'm more inclined to believe that the latter is true).

Based on your experience (a statistical population of one!, just like mine!), it might well be that Hubbard, designed his processes to remove, or suppress, previous memory. People denigrate Hubbard as a charlatan , but he might just have been a psychological genius. Frankly, I don't know how Scientology has survived unless Hubbard was a psychological genius.